Doffing apparatus



Nov.1,1960

Filed Feb. 24, 1958 G. R. WHEELER DOFFING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BM @R/f Nov. 1, 1960 G. R. WHEELER DOFFING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1958 30 `44 46S 42 `fue Y lo I 52 v 3 5s Il so 5o se 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE ROGERS WHEELER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O DoFFING APPARATUS George Rogers Wheeler, Shawmut, Ala., assignor to West Point Manufacturing Company, West Point, Ga., a corporation yof Georgia Filed Feb. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 717,222

7 Claims. (Cl. 280-400) This invention relates to textile bobbin doing boxes, and, more particularly, to an ambulant dotiing box and a doffing can adapted to be rigidly attached to each other for joint movement in a textile factory.

In the `art of forming textile yarns and threads, it is well known that machines such as spinning frames, fly frames, slubbers, and the like have numerous spindles to which bobbins or yarn holders are removably fitted. During the course of the operation of these machines, the yarn holders or bobbins become filled and must be removed and replaced by empty bobbins or holders. The filled bobbins are then taken to other processing areas for further treatments. In order to facilitate this transfer, during which time the machines must be stopped, double-compartmented wheeled boxes have been employed, one compartment being used to carry a supply of empty holders `and the other used to receive the filled bobbins. Characteristically, the doffing operator will move the doiiing boxes down the aisles between the spinning machinery pausing at each station to accomplish the desired transfer. After a full load of filled bobbins have been removed, these are then transported to other process areas.

It is an object of this invention to provide an irnproved device for transporting supplies of empty bobbins to and removing filled bobbins from the desired points or stations in a textile factory, by providing a jointly ambulant but separable combination of a dofiing box for empty bobbins and a dofling can for filled bobbins. More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide an ambulant doffing box with means for releasably but rigidly attaching a doffing can thereto, said doing can thereby being capable of independent transport, as when filled with full bobbins.

Other objects of the invention will appear obvious from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a general schematic drawing of the dofiing box and doffing can shown in the attached position and in the (dotted) detached position;

Figure 2 is a partial elevational view of the bottom of the can in the erect detached position;

Figure 3 is a plan View of a portion of the device shown in Figure 1 and particularly illustrates the quick disconnect attachment means;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3.

In Figure l is illustrated an ambulant doing box 10, fitted with a pair of castered wheels 12 and a pair of fixed wheels 14 (only one wheel in each pair being shown), and equipped with a rubber bumper 16. Atop one end of the box is a shelf 18 which carries the quick disconnect attachment mechanism shown more clearly in Figures 3, 4, and 5. Doling can 20 is fitted with a pair of wheels 22 mounted on axis 24 and attached by brackets 26. The wheels are mounted adjacent to but 2,958,540 Patented Nov. l, 1960 above the can bot-torn 28, so that they will be somei what above floor level when the can is in the detached erect position shown by the dotted line figure, but will provide running gear when the can is tilted. At the top `of the can 20 a handle 30 is attached by arms 32 and 32a. Handle 30 is disposed generally horizontally adjacent the top of the can but spaced away from the side as shown. When the can is in erect position, the handle will be higher than the box shelf 18, so that when the can and box are connected, the can will be in tilted position. As seen in Figure 2, a rubber bumper 34 may be fitted to the `bottom of can 20` to prevent damage to the fioor when the can is placed in the erect position.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4, and 5, these particularly illustrate a preferred quick disconnect mechanism for attachment of the box and can. As there shown, mounted on the box shelf 18 are latches 36, disposed in cylinders 38 and urged by springs 40 to outward or closed position. The outer ends of the latches are downwardly and outwardly sloped as shown. Plungers 42 extend from latches 36 `to plunger plates 44 located externally of the opposite ends of the cylinders 38. In the closed position shown, the latches 36 extend above the `channel 46, which is mounted on the shelf 18 and faces upwardly to receive the can handle 30. The channel 46 is provided with an end wall 48, which limits lateral movement of handle 30 in one direction. The plunger plates 44 are provided with angle members 50, which are vfitted with slots 52. A shaft 54 is rotatably mounted on the shelf 18 by means of bearings S6, `and pins 58 extend radially therefrom into engagement with the slots 52. An operating handle 60 is provided at one end of the shaft 54.

Starting' with the box 10, filled with empty bobbins, and an empty can, the dofng operator may attach the box and can by simply dropping or pushing can handle 30 into the box channel 46. As is evident, during its downward movement, the action of can handle 30 on the sloping face of latches 36 will displace the latter into the cylinders 38, and when the handle is in channel 46, the springs 40 will snap latches 36 into the closed position shown, over the handle. With the box and can thus rigidly attached, the two may be moved together and guided or steered by turning on castered wheels 12, without any danger of jack-knifng or Zig-zagging.

As a result of the position of the can handle 30 in the offset channel 46, one side of the can 20 will not extend substantially beyond the plane of the laterally adjacent side of the box 10 and will be limited to this position by the channel end wall 48. This arrangement permits the attached can and box to be moved in the aisles close to the machinery at which the bobbins are being interchanged. The operator will remove the full bobbins from the machinery and drop them in the can and replace them with empty bobbins removed from the box. When the can is filled with full bobbins, the can may be detached merely by rotating shaft 54 by means of operating handle 60. It will be seen from Figures 3 and 5 that the pivotal movement of pins 58 acting on angle members 50 will retract latches 36 into the cylinders 38. The center of gravity of the `can will automatically tip the can to erect position, with disengagement of the can handle 30 from the channel 46. Rubber bumper 34 is adapted to cushion the shock as the can bottom 28 hits the floor. Since the wheels 22 are disengaged from the floor when the can is in the erect position, the can will have no tendency to slip from position if set on a sloping ramp.

The can 20 of filled bobbins may be tilted onto its wheels 22 by means of the handle 30, and moved independently of the box, or may be transported by overhead cranes, to the desired areas for further processing. A second empty can 20 may now be attached to the box, in the same manner as hereinbefore described, and the dong operation repeated or continued. Thus, the bobbin box may remain at the location o f the machinery and can be used Ywith a number of doing cans 20.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides a simple means for replacing bobbins on textile spinning machinery which permits the maximum utilization of the doing boxes and doi'ling cans without requiring that both units be transported together when the full bobbins are to be removed to areas as desired.

Having fully described my invention, it will be appreciated that there are a number of modifications which may be made to the specific embodiment which I have illustrated but which will not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, an ambulant dong box and a doing can, said can having a flat bottom, a pair of coaxial wheels axially side-mounted on said can above the plane of the bottom thereof, and a handle mounted adjacent the top of said can and disposed generally above and parallel to the wheel axis and on the same side of said can, said box having quick disconnect means mounted atop one end thereof for rigid and detachable connection of said can handle thereto when said can is in an axially inclined position with a portion of said wheels disposed below the lowermost portion of said can bottom.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said can handle is in spaced relationship to the side of said can.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the top of said can is above the top of said box 4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said quick disconnect means comprise a channel means adapted to receive said can handle and latch means for engaging said handle in said channel.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said latch means are disposed in a cylinder having resilient means for continuously urging said`.lateh means to the closed position.

6. The combination of claim 4, wherein said latch means includes a plunger reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, resilient means continuously urging said plunger in one direction, and manually operable release means operatively connected to said plunger for moving it in the opposite direction. i

7. In combination, an ambulant doing box and a dofling can having a flat bottom, said can having a diameter substantially greater than the width of said box, a

substantially horizontal handle mounted adjacent the top of said can, coaxial wheels axially side-mounted above the plane of said can bottom and axially parallel to said handle and on the same side of said can, channel means mounted atop one end of said box and adapted to receive said handle therein in a position transverse to and offset relative to the longitudinal axis of said box, whereby laterally adjacent sides of said box and said can will lie in substantially adjacent planes with said can in an axially inclined position, and latch means adapted to releasably engage said handle in said channel means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

